Bidspirit auction | Ludwigsburg Nees Pas de Deux

Ludwigsburg Nees Pas de Deux Ballerinas - Ludwigsburg, Germany. Modelled by Joseph Nees. Porcelain group titled ”Pas de deux” depicting two ballerinas, ca. 1760-65. Modelled in a ballet pose on an oblong plinth framed by purple and gilt rocailles. Blue conjoined double-C mark beneath a crown, S in purple, incised UM, N. 3. Provenance: The Distinguished Collection of Leo & Doris Hodroff. The founder of the Ludwigsburg Porcelain Factory, Duke Karl Eugen of Wurttemberg, also founded the first Stuttgart Ballet. In 1760, he was able to engage the already famous dancer and choreographer Jean-Georges Noverre (1727-1810). Noverre created numerous ballets for Karl Eugen until his move to Vienna in 1766, which influenced the creation of porcelain figures as well. Sculptor Joseph Nees (1730-1778) was particularly inspired by the French ballet. He designed this and many other dance groups for the Ludwigsburg Porcelain Factory. Provenance: Christie's, London, ”Continental Ceramics, ” October 5, 1987. Lot 143. Height: 6 1/2 in x width: 6 1/2 in x depth: 3 1/2 in. Condition: There are some chips and some losses to the applied ribbon elements along the figures' clothing and hair, especially along the man's braid. There are fleabite to small-sized chips along the extreme edges of the gowns and fingertips. There are some chips along the extreme edges of the footrim; one chip of moderate to large size, the remaining chips ranging from fleabite to small in size. There are toned accretions along the extreme edges of the underside.